Announcements about check dam, municipal limits fall flat
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 28: Establishing the general perception that PDP-BJP Coalition Government only believes in making announcements and pays scant attention towards bringing them to realism, several decisions taken by the District Development Board (DDB) of Samba last year have failed to see the light of the day till date due to lack of proper and timely follow-up action from the concerned authorities.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in the Samba DDB meeting held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh on March 17, 2017, stress was laid on developing of mechanism for third party audit of ongoing construction works in different sectors.
“Such a mechanism is imperative to ensure that quality and durable assets are created. Moreover, the departments should conduct impact assessment of schemes being implemented by them for further improvement in their service delivery system”, the Deputy Chief Minister had stated in the meeting.
However, neither third party monitoring mechanism has been put to use so far nor the impact assessment of schemes has been started by the concerned authorities as such the major announcement of the District Development Board has remained confined to the official files, sources informed, adding “it is a matter of serious concern that the issue of immense importance is being treated so casually by the Government servants”.
On the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister had announced new grid of 320 MVA capacity for Industrial Estate Samba and it was stated that work will be completed by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) within a period of two years at a cost of Rs 80.50 crore.
“Though one year has lapsed since the DDB decision yet work on new grid could not be started by the PGCIL mainly because of the inordinate delay on the part of concerned authorities of the State in transfer of land for the project”, sources said while disclosing that around 100 kanals of land was transferred for the project only few days back.
Had swiftness been shown in identification of suitable land substantial progress could have been made on the project till date and within another one year the project would have been ready for commissioning, sources said, adding “now the grid station would be ready by 2020 if the PGCIL meets the timeline of two years as was announced in the DDB meeting”.
Due to this, the long pending demand of Samba Industrial Estate has remained unfulfilled even after approval of the District Development Board, which is given utmost importance by the Government in the official statements, sources further said.
In the main DDB meeting as well as in the review meeting convened on October 16, 2017, the Deputy Chief Minister had issued directions for completion of Taloor Check Dam in all respect and consultation of subject matter experts for developing an effective mechanism to utilize dam for power generation.
However, neither the Taloor Check Dam and Lift Irrigation Scheme have been completed till date nor any mechanism worked out for power generation, sources said while disclosing that Irrigation and Flood Control Department is still awaiting funds for Lift Irrigation Scheme.
It is pertinent to mention here that work on Check Dam on Basantar River at Taloor village in Samba district was started during 2008 under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Government of India. An amount of Rs 13.27 crore has been spent on this project but it has failed to meet the objective behind its planning.
Announcement regarding inclusion of Ghagwal, Rajpura and Gurah Slathian under Municipal limits, which was also made in the main DDB meeting, has too remained on the papers till date, sources further said, adding “the proposal is still under consideration of the Housing and Urban Development Department”.
“What is the fun of making announcements and taking decisions in the District Development Board meetings when no proper follow-up action by the concerned authorities is to be ensured”, sources asked, adding “the Chairmen of the DDBs should keep in mind that people want action and not mere announcements on their demands and aspirations”.
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